Welcome to the December edition of our employment law round-up. In this edition, we couldn’t fail to give you an update on the most important piece of constitutional litigation of our time, which has been heard by the Supreme Court on Article 50. Other festive treats include a summary of recent restrictive covenants cases (first published on HR-Inform) and unfair dismissal litigation. We have also given you our take on calculating rest breaks for workers, and the dangers of using employees’ personal data unlawfully.

In this issue we look at a recent Court of Appeal decision focusing on sexual orientation protection following a refusal to bake a cake decorated with a gay rights message. We also look at the rights of breastfeeding mothers at work, and Asda’s equal pay claim case, which may lead to further claims against Asda. We consider Tribunal decisions deciding employment status and rest break rights. We review the importance of having clear guidelines on job descriptions, and proposals to provide an entitlement to bereavement leave. Finally, we give an update on changes to the Immigration Rules.

In this issue we look at recent case law decisions which have provided a useful reminder of the position when dealing with contracts tainted by illegality and taking prior disciplinary warnings into account. We also bring you up to date with the latest thoughts on calculating holiday pay, and the scope of ACAS Early Conciliation certificates. We review the new judicial assessment procedure in the employment tribunal, along with proposals to inspect corporate governance and to ask employers to disclose employed foreign nationals.

In this issue, we look at whether a job applicant can gain protection under the Framework and Equal Treatment Directives if the purpose of the application is to gain the status of someone who can make a claim to gain compensation.

In our case law review, we will also re-visit what constitutes “normal remuneration” when calculating holiday pay and whether a reasonable adjustment for a disabled employee can extend to payment protection.

We provide guidance on how offers of employment should be made to ensure that communication about employment is not misinterpreted by prospective employees.

We also report on the most recent developments regarding the Apprenticeship Levy and the changes to the taxation of termination payments.

In this month’s issue we consider the case of Dronsfield v. University of Reading, in particular the EAT’s observations in that case about how disciplinary investigations should be conducted and the role of HR in finalising investigatory reports and disciplinary decisions.

We also look at a recent case on the definition of “worker” for whistleblowing purposes, which established that, in some circumstances, a “worker/employer” relationship may be established between an agency worker and an end user.

We consider the “cautionary tale” of Byron Burger on how not to assist in a Home Office investigation, with a brief reminder of the risk of not carrying out appropriate “right to work” checks.

Finally, we consider what’s next for UK employment law – not just in the context of Brexit, but also in terms of the pledges and agendas our political leaders have set out.

In this issue, we look at whether Britain’s decision to leave the European Union is actually likely to have a significant impact on UK employment law.

In our case law review, we will also consider the extent to which without prejudice privilege attaches to protected conversations.
There is also some useful guidance from recent case law about the types of dismissal to which the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures applies.

We give comment on the current position in relation to Employment Tribunal fees, and the implication of the equal pay claims brought against ASDA in the Employment Tribunal.

In this issue we look into the implications of misusing data in the employment context. In particular, we utline recent ICO prosecutions of employees for unlawfully obtaining data. We also look at a decision involving interim relief and an order for the deletion of data.

In our case law review we also analyse the Advocate General’s view on a ban on wearing a headscarf at work and whether that is discriminatory under the European Directive.

For those concerned about issues involving working time, there is a helpful clarification about injury to feelings awards in the context of Working Time Regulations claims.

There are also some indications of future legislative changes in relation to the National Minimum Wage and increasing the representation of black and minority ethnic workers in the workplace.

During our Annual Update seminar on 27 April 2016, we discussed some of the legislative changes that employers should look out for over the next 12 months. One of these was the Trade Union Bill having now received Royal Assent.

In this issue we also look at the EU’s Trade Secrets Directive and how this could impact on whistleblowers in the UK, as well as the Government’s call for evidence on the use of non-compete clauses.

We will also analyse cases which look at whether employees have a right to privacy in the workplace regarding email communications, whether terms contained in an employee handbook can be incorporated within an employee’s contract of employment and how tribunals should approach the remedy of re-engagement.

In this issue, we consider the requirements of recent legislative changes including the new whistleblowing regime for financial institutions and the updated employment rates/limits for 2016/2017. Hot on the heels of International Women’s Day, we also explain how the spotlight on diversity continues with the release of EHRC guidance on improving diversity at senior levels of business. Another complicated area for clients can be dealing with issues surrounding PHI schemes and we analyse a recent decision in this field.

In this edition we will be taking a look at some employment issues which have been making headlines and at some of the more technical points raised in recent case law. We will consider the Government’s recent release of its hotly awaited consultation paper on gender pay gap reporting; and the implications of the High Court’s recent ruling that parts of the criminal records checks rules are ‘arbitrary’ and unlawful. We will also delve into a recent tax decision of the Upper Tribunal considering the taxation of injury to feelings settlement payment; a couple of EAT cases highlighting its approach to Early Conciliation and the Tribunal’s powers to make case management orders; and a rare TUPE case dealing with the issue of temporary cessation of work.

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